Because
by DobbyLovesSocks
Summary: They would never hold back, because you were their rock, and that was all they had.


Your mother often joked that you were her rock; you held her down to Earth, keeping her focused and on task. You used to giggle as she would say that, poking you in the belly. But only recently did you begin to understand that this was much larger than just you and her.

You were Daddy's rock, too. You were his baby girl; he didn't care that you were _officially _a teenager now, and neither did you. Just recently, you had begun to notice how much you helped him. Sometimes, when he would call Fred's name, a different, much more serious expression would come over his face. He would think of a different Fred, his own Fred, and you would be the one to hug him and play games with him and climb all over him until he was laughing so hard that he forgot. Because you were his rock, and he needed someone to distract him.

You were Fred's rock. Ever since he was a little boy, Fred had noticed the change in Daddy's expression when he spoke his name. At first, before he learned about Uncle Fred, he used to think that it was his fault, and that Daddy didn't love him. You would always reassure him that there was nothing wrong with him, and that Mummy and Daddy loved him more than he could imagine, and you would hold him in your arms and stroke his hair until he felt better. You told Mummy and Daddy how it was affecting him, because he refused to tell them himself. He would only tell you, because you were his rock, and he needed someone to confide in.

Oh so recently, you had realized something both flattering and terrifying: you were Molly's rock, too. Her cold exterior was usually the deepest that anyone could reach, but more recently, you had seen a completely separate side to her. Molly came to you when she was in tears, worrying and fighting herself inwardly. The cold, unfeeling mask she wore was only to hide the fact that she was just as human as anyone else, with worries and fears and hopes and dreams. Once, you had told her not to be so unfriendly, that it would help her. Angrily, she had stormed out without another word. But the next day, she came back to you, and you held her and stroked her back once more. She always came back, because you were her rock, and it pained her to hide so much.

What surprised you the most, though, is that Lily came to you for support. She was only ten, young and naïve... Or so everyone thought. She poured her heart out to you, sobbing through every word. What surprised you wasn't the fact that she trusted you, but the fact that she _had_ so much to entrust you with. It worried you that instead of the petty fears and wishes of most girls her age, Lily's went much beyond that. Lily's problems went beyond those of any of her cousins, leaving you feeling hopeless, that there was nothing you could do to help. Little did you know that your reassuring murmurs and warm hugs were the only things that kept her going day after day. Because you were her rock, and she was staying strong to make it up to you._  
_

Rose was the hardest to figure out. You knew that she wanted someone to comfort her, a shoulder to cry on, but she was too stubborn to admit it, so you were forced to pretend as though nothing was happening. You would casually ask her what was going on, and she would reply, not knowing that you were reading between the lines, understanding better than anyone else ever would. And on those nights, when you hugged everyone before bed, you would hug her just a little bit longer, making sure she knew that you would always be there, because you were her rock, whether she knew it or not.

You were everyone's rock. They would never hold back, because you were their rock, and that was all they had. So when you made the decision, it would be destroying not just you, but everyone around you. But where was _your _rock? You worked so hard being there for everyone else that you never realized the war raging inside of you. And it was that feeling of hopelessness and isolation that made you do what you did. Raising the wand up slowly, you spoke the two words, softly, firmly. You spoke them, knowing that you were breaking not only yourself, but the ties holding your entire family.

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**A./N.- Well, that took a different turn than I expected! This was based off of xThe Painted Lady's story, Under Lock and Key, which is one of my favorite stories on this site. You should really go read it!**

**Disclaimer- Harry Potter is not mine, and never will be. There. I said it.**


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